Jets' RB Jon Grimes Is Ready to Answer the Call

By Eric Weeks | Oct 17, 2012 | 10:00AM

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Fourth string running back Jonathan Grimes isn't one of those flashy running backs whose name will automatically standout however, he has been a dependable force for his former team at William & Mary and turned heads in Houston when he ran with a purpose in the preseason. However, being the fourth man behind the trio of Arian Foster, Ben Tate and Justin Forsett and being on the practice squad to boot, his tenure with the Texans was bound to be brief. After the early struggles from the running back committee, the Jets signed Grimes off the Texans' practice squad and looked to be in position to see some sort of work with Joe McKnight's switch to cornerback. However, McKnight returned to the offense after a few days, again burying Grimes on the depth chart. This week however, Grimes has an opportunity to get a good amount of snaps and he will be ready for the call.

In Grimes [William & Mary coach Jimmye Laycock] found a player who was relentless, who could return kicks, split out wide and carry the ball. The Palmyra native went on to win the Colonial Athletic Association Conference rookie of the year award, and eventually became the school’s all-time leading rusher (4,541 yards), leader in all-purpose yards (7,955 yards) and leader in attempts (936).

Laycock didn’t see it coming, but he wasn’t complaining.

“The only way to go half speed was to take him out,” Laycock said in a phone interview Tuesday. “He’s got the whole package.”

[...]

On Monday, Lynn walked up to the No. 4 running back on his depth chart and coolly offered him another opportunity: “Well, looks like you’re going to be up. Get ready and stay on top of everything.”

“I’m always preparing like I’m going to start a game,” said Grimes, who was signed off the Texans’ practice squad on Sept. 25. “I learned that from a young age. You never know what’s going to happen and you can’t guarantee when you’re going to get thrown into the fire.”

[...]

Laycock said there wasn’t a specific moment that ended up allowing Grimes to run away with the starter’s job at William & Mary. There was no defining stiff arm or blistering run that remains etched in his mind.

Instead, there was a dependability to expect anything. He remembers three straight weeks during Grimes’ senior year where he couldn’t practice because of a sprained ankle, and three straight weeks where he still ran for more than 200 yards on Saturday.

Getting rid of him once he started getting the carries was the hardest part.

I'm not going to anoint him the next C-Mart because there will only ever truly be one but just by some of things you hear and how he speaks you can tell they do have similar qualities in character and his work ethic and dependability certainly do sound familiar. The question is, was the preseason an aberration or can he build upon that here in New York? The reoccurring theme to this point has been that he has been overshadowed by other talent only to emerge with nothing spectacularly flashy but enough to make a great impact in the game.

While he was active against his former team, he didn't see any playing time but with Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight sidelined, Grimes has an opportunity to showcase himself against an opponent that has done relatively well at defending the run so far this season (currently ranked sixth in the league). The Jets do have the opportunity to use Lex Hilliard but he was brought in to be a fullback especially with John Conner still battling with a nagging hamstring injury, and struggling overall, which means Grimes should see some work behind Greene against New England particularly if Greene's struggles reemerge. While Grimes is more familiar with the zone blocking scheme than the Jets' power blocking one, given the struggles by all top three backs recently, the Colts game not withstanding, the Jets owe it to him and to themselves to see if he can have a significant role with the team.

Jets re-sign DL Xavier Cooper for 2018 season

Mar 19 | 8:14PM

Cooper began the 2017 season with the 49ers before becoming cut in late October. The Jets scooped him up on Halloween, and he ended up playing eight games, totaling 10 tackles and one sack in the process.

The 26-year-old filled in during Muhammad Wilkerson's suspenion, and impressed as a fill-in. He will likely be vying for a depth role on the defensive front as well this season.

Could the Jets fill some of their needs via trade?

By Bent | Mar 19 | 7:43PM

Now that the first and second waves of free agency are winding down, NFL teams are fairly limited in their options. There may still be upgrades available, but most players still on the market are damaged goods in one way or another.

However, with plenty of cap space still remaining and, let's face it, several positions at which they could still upgrade, perhaps the Jets are in a position whereby they could explore the trade market instead.

The Jets just gave up three second-round picks to move up in the draft, probably taking them out of contention if a star player like Dez Bryant became available. Perhaps they could trade for someone without reducing their total number of picks by way of a pick exchange or even deal a veteran player from a position of strength. Would they be prepared to trade Bilal Powell, Jermaine Kearse or one of their young backup receivers or cornerbacks?

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Daily News Live: Which QB will the Jets pursue?

Mar 19 | 6:16PM

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Forecasting the NFL Draft00:05:05

Ralph Vacchiano joins Daily News Live to discuss which quarterback the Jets might take with their No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

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Bridgewater excited to be a part of 'ambitious' Jets team

Mar 19 | 4:00PM

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(Brad Rempel)

The Jets' newest QB Teddy Bridgewater can't wait to be a part of what his new team is building.

The 25-year-old made his move to the Jets official on Sunday when he signed a one-year, $6 million deal that has $9 million in incentives tied to it. He becomes another young asset for the Jets, and he couldn't be any happier to try and revitalize his career in this environment.

"I'm excited about the direction we're headed in," Bridgewater told Jets.com's Ethan Greenberg. "I'm excited to be a part of something that can be very special and I just look forward to getting to work with the guys and a great year."

Here is the most up-to-date information on whom the Jets have added and lost during free agency, including contract details and salary cap information. The official signing period begins Wednesday at 4 p.m., so be sure to bookmark this page and check back for frequent updates.

JETS SALARY CAP SPACE

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Jets could take shot on WR Terrelle Pryor

Mar 19 | 12:00PM

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(Brad Mills)

The Jets may be looking to bring in more offensive help as free-agent WR Terrelle Pryor is expected to visit the team on Tuesday, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirmed.

Pryor, who is currently meeting with the Seahawks Monday, will fly directly to the east coast for his meeting tomorrow.

He was a big free-agent target last offseason after producing a 1,000-yard season on 77 receptions with the Browns in 2016. He eventually signed a one-year, $6 million pact with the Redskins, but his production fell drastically due to injury.

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Jets missed out on dynamic offensive weapon in Jerick McKinnon

Mar 19 | 12:30PM

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The Jets made a solid offer, but it wasn't enough to land one a dynamic weapon in RB Jerick McKinnon this offseason.

McKinnon was high on the Jets' list of players they sought with their generous cap space this offseason, according to the Daily News' Manish Mehta. However, he eventually signed a four-year, $30 million deal with the 49ers that includes $12 million guaranteed for next season.

Like the Jets, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan understood how versatile McKinnon's skill set could be in his offense, which is why he made such a hard push for him. Jets' OC Jeremy Bates and run-game coordinator Rick Dennison both worked under Kyle's father, Mike Shanahan, so it isn't surprising a player like McKinnon was high on their radar.

What's next for the Jets this offseason?

Aug 12, 2017; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan reacts on the field before a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

Armed with $90 million-plus in salary cap space and extra draft picks, Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has been a busy man the last few days. He's reshaped his roster, reset the quarterback position, and possibly put his franchise in contention for the next few years.

Mike Maccagnan makes legacy-defining trade: He better be right

Ernie Accorsi knew back in 2004 that he would always be remembered as the GM that brought Eli Manning to the Giants. Whether it worked out or not, that would be his legacy, regardless of everything else he accomplished in his career.

That's the way it now is for Mike Maccagnan. He began to define his legacy as the Jets GM with the bold trade he made on Saturday to ship three second-round picks to Indianapolis to move up from 6 to 3 in the NFL draft. And in less than six weeks, on April 26, he will further define it when he picks the player he expects will be the Jets' long-awaited franchise quarterback.

Now he just better be right...

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Maccagnan's bold trade aims to solve Jets QB quandary

Jets acquire no. 3 pick in draft from Colts

Nov 2, 2017; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan on the sidelines before a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

The Jets have spent years, even decades stuck in Quarterback Hell, in a never-ending search for an elusive franchise quarterback.

And Mike Maccagnan is serious about ending that run.

The Jets GM made the boldest move of his tenure on Saturday morning, making a stunning trade to move up even closer to the top of the 2018 NFL draft. He acquired the No. 3 overall pick from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for the No. 6 overall pick, the Jets' two second-rounders (37th and 49th) and a second-rounder in 2019...

Tyrann Mathieu, a player on the Jets' radar, has agreed to a deal with the Texans, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter is reporting the deal is worth one-year, $7 million for the Honey Badger.

The Jets were looking for some more help in their secondary, and even S Jamal Adams tried to recruit his LSU friend to New York.

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Daily News Live: Bowles, Maccagnan scour draft options at QB

Mar 16 | 6:51PM

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Jets aiming to draft a QB00:03:54

The Daily News Live panel discuss the Jets' quarterback options in this year's NFL Draft.

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Demario Davis surprised Jets 'didn't make me an offer'

Mar 16 | 10:30AM

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New York Jets inside linebacker Demario Davis against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. (Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports)

Former Jets linebacker Demario Davis said he felt surprised New York never made him an offer in free agency before he signed with the New Orleans Saints.

"The shocking thing was the Jets didn't make me an offer, so that made my decision easy because all I had to do was look at the contenders," Davis said, according to the New Orleans Advocare's Rod Walker. "It would have been something to weigh."

Jets re-sign CB Morris Claiborne to one-year deal

Mar 15 | 9:10PM

New York Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne breaks up a touchdown attempt to Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry in the second half at MetLife Stadium. (Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports)

The Jets have re-signed CB Morris Claiborne to a one-year, $7 million deal, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirms. The news was first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Last season, Claiborne started and played in all but one of the Jets' games. The 28-year-old had one interception and eight passes defended, as well as 46 tackles. He was drafted 6th overall by the Cowboys in the 2012.

Claiborne returns to an improved secondary after the Jets signed CB Trumaine Johnson to a five-year, $72.5 million deal. Johnson is expected to be the team's no. 1 corner.

The Jets have signed K Cairo Santos, the team announced. The deal is one-year, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

Santos, 26, endured an injury-riddled 2017. He injured his groin in preseason, kicked the first three games for the Chiefs before being placed on IR and released in September. He signed with the Bears in November, kicked in two games then was placed on IR again after re-injuring his groin. Between the two teams, he made four of his five field goal attempts.

For the first three years of Santos' career, he converted 84.3 percent of his field goal attempts overall and was 7 for 12 from 50 yards or more. Santos replaces the outgoing Chandler Catanzaro, who signed with the Buccanneers.

Santos was born in Brazil and first learned of American football when he came to St. Augustine, Florida as an exchange student before playing college football at Tulane. He's the first Brazilian to play in the NFL.

Analyzing the Jets' free-agent additions so far

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater drops back to pass during the first half an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) (Mike Roemer/AP)

The top priority for the Jets was absolutely clear: Find a franchise quarterback. End the decades-long search. That's why they went so hard after free agent Kirk Cousins.

But they couldn't sign him. And so their never-ending question at quarterback remains.

Though it's hardly their fault that Cousins chose a better situation in Minnesota over the future potential of the Jets, the quarterback situation still looms big over what has otherwise been an incredibly successful start to free agency for GM Mike Maccagnan and the Jets...

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Seferian-Jenkins signs two-year deal with Jaguars

The Jets had recently upped their offer to Seferian-Jenkins

Mar 15 | 4:35PM

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New York Jets tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins catches a touchdown pass during the second half of their game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium. The play was overturned on review for failure to maintain possession of the ball. (Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports)

TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins is leaving the Jets for the Jaguars, Seferian-Jenkins posted on Thursday while giving gratitude to the Jets. Seferian-Jenkins also visited with the Seahawks.

The deal is for two years and $10 million, and can be worth as much as $11 million, a source confirmed to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

The Jets increased their offer to Seferian-Jenkins Tuesday night, according to Vacchiano. The original offer was $8 million for two years, with not much guaranteed.

Which players could Jets target to fill remaining holes?

By Bent | Mar 15 | 3:30PM

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Nov 2, 2017; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan on the sidelines before a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

Bent, theJetsBlog.comFollow on Twitter: Now that the first wave of free agency is over, we can start to take stock of the outstanding needs for the Jets and potential ways to address these in free agency.

Defensive End

Mike Maccagnan downplayed the need for defensive line help following the departure of Muhammad Wilkerson, but the team probably still needs to add a starting-level player to replace him...

It became official on Tuesday afternoon when McCown re-signed with the Jets, according to his agent, Mike McCartney. The 38-year-old McCown returns on a one-year deal, according to an NFL source, that could pay him as much as $10 million.

The Jets officially announced the deal on Wednesday night.

And that is Part 2 of what SNY has reported is the Jets' Plan B at quarterback. Part 1 is signing 25-year-old Teddy Bridgewater -- and as SNY reported earlier on Tuesday, the Jets are currently engaged in contract talks with the soon-to-be-former Viking.

How does Avery Williamson fit in Jets' defensive system?

By Bent | Mar 14 | 12:00PM

Much of the attention surrounding the Jets' offseason moves so far has been centered around the quarterback position with the addition of Trumaine Johnson stealing most of the non-quarterback headlines. However, the Jets filled an important spot with the signing of former Titans linebacker Avery Williamson last night. Let's consider how well he fits into what the Jets typically like to do on defense.

On the face of it, this seems pretty straightforward; Williamson replaces Demario Davis as the team's Mike linebacker, and slides into his role. However, it might not be as simple as that.

Jets to sign Teddy Bridgewater on Wednesday

After the Jets missed out on quarterback Kirk Cousins, the team is set to sign Teddy Bridgewater and bring back Josh McCown.

The Jets' Plan B at quarterback now officially stands for (Teddy) Bridgewater.

With the quarterback that the Jets desired (Kirk Cousins) heading to Minnesota, the Jets quickly turned their attention to Bridgewater on Tuesday and they are now expecting to sign him when the free-agent signing period opens on Wednesday, according to an NFL source.

The Jet Stream: Reaction to Cousins signing with Vikings

Mar 13 | 3:00PM

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Jonas Schwartz and Willie Colon are back for another edition of The Jet Stream podcast, where they discuss missing out on Kirk Cousins and the possibility of signing Teddy Bridgewater. Later, the guys talk about where GM Mike Maccagnan should focus his attention as the free agency period starts.

Could RB Dion Lewis fit in Jets backfield?

Jets among teams showing interest in the Patriot

Mar 13 | 2:40PM

The Jets are looking to add some running back help. And if they can take a key player away from the New England Patriots, even better.

They'd accomplish both if they're able to sign free agent Dion Lewis, whom they are interested in according to an NFL source. The 27-year-old Lewis is one of the top backs on the market, and the Patriots are trying to lure him back too.